Daily News Briefs

Spectra-Physics' online product guide and catalog, Oriel's Book of Photon Tools, has been expanded to offer lasers and other products that address a wider variety of photonics-related needs, including optical instruments and components, optics component sourcing and micropositioning and control products. Thermo Electron Corp. combined all of its laser and photonics offerings, including the catalog operations of Oriel, under the Spectra-Physics brand in January. For more information, visit: www.oriel.com/homepage/free/genepc.htm . . . Robert Ireland was named vice president of sales and marketing for II-VI Inc.'s infrared optics unit. II-VI, based in Saxonburg, Pa., makes laser optic materials, optics, optical components and electro-optical products for CO2 lasers. . . . NASA announced this week it will again postpone the launch of its Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket, until no earlier than mid-August 2003. The launch had been postponed from April 18 to April 28. NASA said the delay will allow engineers to replace one of nine solid rocket motors attached to the Delta II rocket, which it said had "multiple delaminations within the layers of material that comprise the engine-nozzle exit-cone liner."